Back to touch base

Two possible reasons why your symptoms are unexpectedly rising up again, and now:

1. World dysfunction, rapid technology, and information overload.

2. Ten is a significant number of years. We tend to think of decades as milestones, but we are always, and I mean ALWAYS, acutely aware, at a subconscious level, of the passing of time and the approach of mortality. The TMS brain mechanism is focused exclusively on survival at all costs, so it naturally represses any contemplation of mortality in favor of focusing our attention on whatever it takes to avoid it.

Mortality was my big TMS crisis trigger at age 60, in 2011. Acknowledging, facing, and accepting my emotions around mortality, rather than the "normal" response of repression, was my key to obtaining equanimity, and it remains so 15 years later at 75. The threats posed by so many facets of worldwide disorder form my challenge in 2026. It's a state of existential uncertainty - and extreme disappointment - that I never imagined I would be experiencing at this stage of my life. All I can do right now is acknowledge it. Acceptance is proving to be a tough sell.

 

Exactly, Ellen.

I actually totally avoid all live reporting, whether it's TV or radio. I only watch one show that covers news, but it's taped, and that's the The Daily Show - you know: featuring "the most respected journalists from Comedy Central". 45 minutes, four nights a week, and they take a LOT of weeks off. It helps to have experts illustrating the absurdity of current events. Podcasts provide in-depth coverage when I want it, I have lots of subscriptions but skip most of them.

I do want to be informed, but I refuse to be manipulated by the "keep them watching" tactics of 24-hour reporting, which is just as bad as any mindless YouTube or TikTok rabbit hole. I manage overload by subscribing to email newsletters and only clicking through on what I want to pursue. My favorite world news is The Guardian, but I also have a digital subscription to my local newspaper with breaking news alerts as well as the email digest. I believe that independent (so far) local journalism needs to be supported , even though sometimes the dominant news seems to be about sports (Okay, okay, yes, "we're" going to the Superbowl I'm sure it's very exciting and I'm very happy for my friends and family, I swear I am.)